Life's Troubles
by dama-de-tinieblas
Summary: Harry and Ginny have been together for a year now, but is it really how everbody sees it? An abusive Harry that nobody can see, cause Ginny to find confort in somebody else.
1. My Life

A/N: I'm back guys. I know this is a different story but I'm still suffering from writers block on my other stories. I know where they are going, but I need to figure out how to get there. If you have and ideas let me know. This just popped into my head, and I had to write it.

Disclaimer: Anything you see that you can connect to the Harry Potter novels I do not own, they belong to J.K. Rowling and affiliated companies.

***This first chapter is going to be from Ginny's point of view, I don't know about the rest yet.***

Life's Troubles 

            Let me introduce myself. My name is Virginia Alexis Weasley. I'm just your normal 15-year-old witch. I go to school, study, receive average grades; you know the drill. However everybody know I'm different. Little Ginny Weasley, Ron's little sister, or the girl with the red hair, your there, Potters puppy dog, the Dream Teams tagalong. It's true, I used to follow them around and I still do even though they say I'm part of the group. If there is only one thing everybody truthfully know about me is this: I, Virginia Weasley, am Harry Potters girlfriend. Yes, you herd me right. Shy, little Ginny is the Boy Who Lived's girlfriend. If only they know what its like. It isn't all fun and glory like they think. Go ahead; take a look at my life from the point of view nobody sees…

            "Ginny! Where the bloody hell have you been?!" yelled Harry, who had just walked into the common room, with out his sidekicks, causing Ginny to look up from her musings and drawings. "I've been looking everywhere for you!" He said as he walked toward the window seat where she was sitting. 

            "I've been here all morning Harry!" stated Ginny, standing up to face her boyfriend.

            "Don't back talk me Ginny, you know I hate it! Jus shut your mouth. You should be apologizing for making me look all over for you! I told you earlier at lunch you were suppose to meet me in the Great Hall an hour ago!" He shouted, advancing and causing her to back up toward the roaring fireplace. He effectively pinned her there and place both of his hands on either side of her head on the mantle.

            "Harry I didn't know! I've been in the common room all day except for breakfast. I wasn't even at lunch. Are you sure you weren't talking to somebody else Harry?"

            "Shut up you dumb bitch! I wasn't talking to anybody else. Are you trying to imply I was cheating on my girlfriend you fucking slut?! If anybody was cheating on somebody it was you considering you've been missing for the last four hours! You were probably out shagging Zambini for all I know!" he shouted, raising his hand to slap her but was cut short as he herd his name being called.

            "Harry!" said Ron, walking through the portrait hole, "Come her! I need you to help me find Hermione. We have double potions tomorrow, first thing and I know you need just as much help with that eight-foot essay Snape wants as I do. You can snog Ginny later. Lets go."

            Finally pulling his eyes away from Ginny and smirking, he responded "I can can't I Ron? Com on lets go." And with that they both left without another word.

            And this is my life folks. It's been like this for the past year. Nobody ever notices, I'm just invisible Ginny who has no friends and could commit suicide in the middle of the common room and nobody would notice. Not even my "over protective" brother notices how my boyfriend treats me. Everyday it's the same: get up, dressed, breakfast, yelled at by Harry and ignored by everybody else, classes, no lunch (Harry claims I'm too fat and I can't eat) more class, get smacked around by Harry, cover up my bruises, do homework, keep pushing Harry away when he decides its time I give him a good shag, cover up more bruises for disobeying him and sleep. I know Harry sleeps around because I wont give him any. Why do I put up with him you ask? I don't know maybe because I'm scared of what he will do if I try to break it off with him, or maybe its because I don't want to give up what I worked so hard to get, or possibly it's because, even through everything he put through I think I still love him. I'm not too sure. I do know however that I hate my life, maybe I should just end it now, then maybe Malfoy can use it against Ron to hurt him, not that I care. Wonder if Malfoy would care if I killed myself? Not that it matters or anything. Better go get presentable for diver. Later folks.

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Well, there's chapter 1 let me know what you think. I'll try my best with this story; send me some encouragement please. Hit that little button below and review por favor.


	2. Runins

A/N: Sorry for the wait everyone. But, I'm back. I am in need on one more beta-reader, so if your interested either e-mail me or let me know in a review please. Now, on with the chapter.

Date Written (including a/n's): 6/28/03

_Beta finished: 7/07/03_

Life's Troubles

_Chapter 2_

Run-ins 

"Hey Ginny," said Hermione, walking into the fifth year girls' dormitory after helping Ron and Harry with their potions homework. "Are you going to come down to dinner with us?"

            "Oh, hey Hermione," said Ginny, sitting up from her lying position on her bed. "Actually I'm going to stay here for a while longer. I'll be down in a while."

            "Sure. See you later then. Oh, by the way, Harry told me to tell you he wants to speak to you at 10 pm in the common room." She replied walking out of the room.

            "Great." Ginny replied sarcastically to the room. "Just what I need to round off the day. Another 'I'm superior so you do what I say' speech."

            After lying there for another ten minutes she sighed and rolled off the bed and onto the floor. "Shit," she mumbled, getting up and rubbing her head. "Time to go before somebody gets suspicious." 

            After leaving the common room and hearing the Fat Lady call after her, "You are late!" she continued on down toward the Great Hall, Nearly making it all the way without meeting a single person when she rounded the corner ad ran directly in what felt like a brick wall, but actually was the chest of the last person she wanted to see.

            "Ahh!" shrieked Ginny as she fell to the cold and hard stone floor. "Fuck," she mumbled and suddenly remembered that it had been a person she ran into. "Oh! I'm so sorry! I didn't' see you th- oh its just you. Never mind then." She began to apologize, but stopped after glancing up that it had been Draco Malfoy she had ran into.

            "Watch where the hell your going! I don't need m designer roes dirtied by your Weasley filth weaselett." Snarled Draco, standing and dusting off his robes while glaring in Ginny's direction. "Now if you would be so kind as to move out of the way, I would like to go to my dormitory."

            "Why don't you just walk around? I'm not in your way!" she shouted back, rage evident in her tone.

            Thinking to himself Draco though 'So the weasel has grown a backbone has she?', and said "Somebody has spunk don't they?"

            "Fuck you Malfoy!" she shrieked.

            Intrigued and eyebrows raised, he closed the remaining distance, placed his hands on her waist, pushed her against the wall and leaned in to whisper in her ear, "Is that an offer Miss Weasley?" and seeing her at a loss of words he hissed out, "It doesn't matter if it was because I wouldn't touch you like that if you were the last person in the world. Weasleys are all filth."

            Turning scarlet in pure rage Ginny reached up with her right hand and swung it, resulting in a resounding slap that could be heard through the entire hallway.  

            Stepping back in shock he raised a hand to his now bright red, stinging cheek, which contrasted with his pale complexion, and release her waist, gapping at her.

            "You're a god damn prick you know that? Leave me the fuck alone Malfoy!" Ginny replied in an irate tone, pushed him aside and stormed quickly and angrily down the hallway toward the Great Hall leaving Draco to stand there staring at the spot where she had been only moments before, at a loss for words, the roles revesed.

****************

            Storming into the Great Hall, Ginny took her seat between Harry and Ron, and began to angrily fill her plate with food. Noticing Ginny's beat red face, Hermione asked, "What's wrong Ginny? You seem upset."

            Immediately remembering earlier in the common room before Ron came to fetch him, Harry hastily said, "There's nothing wrong with her Hermione. All girls have mood swings. It's probably that time of the month for her."

            About to say something about his last comment and acting on her suspicions due to his hasty reply, Hermione was interrupted by Ginny saying, "I can't believe you just said that Harry! Besides if you would care to take any notice of your **_girlfriend_** you would know that there is defiantly something wrong! Actually Hermione I just had a run-in with Malfoy. He just put me in a very bad mood. Don't worry about it. Somebody here just made it worse though." And upon saying this she pushed back her untouched plate and headed back to the Gryffindor tower, thinking along the way, 'Why do I put up with his shit everyday? Why don't I just put and end to it?'

            Receiving a glare form his best friends, Harry asked "What?"

            "You shouldn't make accusations Harry." Reprimanded Hermione. "You need to pay more attention to her feelings. Obviously there was more that the Malfoy incident bothering her. Ask her about it tonight. Please Harry?"

            "Don't tell him what to do Hermione. There was nothing wrong with Ginny just now." Replied Ron trough the food in his mouth.

            "Yeah. Sure, of course I will Hermione." Declared Harry, distracted, staring across the fall at the form of Padama Patil, one of the girls he had yet to conquer, with lust in his eyes.

______________________

Sorry for the wait guys (My beta reader was taking a while with this, so I beta-ed it myself. Hope you liked the chapter and I'm sorry its short again. Let me know what you think.

You see guys this would have been longer, but I wrote this with my best friend's boyfriend sleeping on my shoulder, on the way to the Coach USA Center in Elmira to see WWE unleashed on Saturday. I ended up getting to touch (hands of course) with Scott Steiner and RVD! YAY. But unfortunately for me when I got home it was 11:30 pm and my brain falls asleep at that time and I forgot I touched RVD's hot, stinky, sweaty body with my left hand earlier, and I ended up sort of sticking my left hand in my mouth before I washed it so… yeah you get the picture (And don't say I'm stupid here, because I know I am). It didn't taste too good. Salty sweat. Ack! I hope I never do it again.

I have one beta-reader for my stuff and I need another. E-mail me or tell me in a review if you interested.

*dama_de_tinieblas*


	3. Problems With Harry

Disclaimer: See chapter 1, and the song belongs to Nickelback.

A/N: Sorry this took so long. I've had it written for a month, but I lost my notebook about 3 ½ weeks ago (I had left it at my friends house, where I was having her edit it). I just found it this morning. Anyway, here's the next chapter.

Life's Troubles Chapter 3: Problems With Harry 

            "Ginny?" questioned a concerned voice from outside the locked dormitory door. When no answer came the voice knocked and asked, "Ginny? Are you in there?" slightly louder. Exasperated, the speaker knocked again, louder, and declared, "Ginny I know you're in there. Open the door." When the voice was rewarded with even more silence, the person drew their wand and said, "Fine. Alohamora." And pushed open the door, strode inside and over to the only four-poster bed with its curtains drawn, which the voice's owner knew belonged to Ginny. Pulling back the curtains the voice's owner say Ginny sitting up on the bed, staring into space. Sitting down next to her, the voice's owner placed a hand on her shoulder. Still receiving no response the person snapped their fingers in front of Ginny's face. Ginny snapped her head over toward the intruding person, and then went back to staring into space. "Ginny are you alright?"

            Turning her attention back to her guest, she softly spoke, "Go away Hermione."

            "Ginny please tell me what's wrong," said Hermione.

            "Hermione NOTHING is wrong! Now please leave me alone." Begged Ginny with pleading eyes.

            "You can't tell me that. I know when something is wrong. Does it have something to do with Harry?"

            "WHAT!?" Ginny nearly yelled from surprise, and then lowering her tone, "No, of course not Hermione It has nothing to do with HIM."

            "See Ginny? You just admitted something was wrong." Hermione stated, narrowing her eyes with suspicion at her tone and sudden denial.

            "I hate you." Ginny mildly replied with humor. "Don't worry yourself over it Hermione. It's nothing, really. It's nothing for you to get involved with, even if you are a prefect. Trust me, please. I can handle him." Replied Ginny with a solemn expression.

            "Him? Ginny, tell me what's wrong. It does have something to do with Harry and don't deny it. I could tell just by the reactions at lunch earlier," replied Hermione, her eyes glistening with concern.

            "Aright! Harry is my problem ok!? Are you happy I finally said it?!" shouted Ginny, her face turning red form anger as she faced Hermione. "He's been my problem since August ok?"

            Concern evident in her voice Hermione asked, "Ginny what did he do? Actually, what is he doing? If he's hurting you Ginny you must tell me. I'll turn him into Professor McGonagall if he wont talk to me about it. He's not hurting you, is he?"

            "Hermione please!" pleaded Ginny, tears spilling form her eyes. 

            "Tell me Gin."

            "I can't Hermione. Please understand. I'll tell you if anything bad happens ok?"

            Though reluctant, Hermione responded, "Well if you're sure, then alright."

            "Thanks Hermione, you're the best." Replied Ginny, throwing her arms around the older girl in a hug. "And yes, 'm sure. Do you want to go to the library with me? I have some herbology work to finish and we can work together."

            "I'd love to Ginny." Replied Hermione, standing up, then suddenly remembering something she groaned and replied, "But I can't Gin. I have detention with Professor Snape tonight in about an hour. But I suppose I can for about 45 minutes, then I'll just have to run to the dungeons. Lets go."

            "Ok, let me get my book." Replied Ginny, then jumped up and grabbed her book from her trunk.

            As they were walking out of the common room Hermione leaned in close to Ginny and whispered so nobody else could hear, "Don't tell Ron or Harry, but whenever those two aren't around Snape is pretty much indifferent toward me. He's actually tolerable." 

******************

            "Drakie!" came the screech of Pansy Parkinson, as she entered the Slytherin common room. She spotted Draco sitting on one of the many couches, playing wizards chess with Blaise. (A/N: For those of you who want to know, Blaise is supposed to be a male name, so Blaise is male in this story.)

            Seemingly ignoring her, as had become routine, Draco said, "Knight to F6," succeeding in capturing Blaise's bishop.

            "Drakie-poo!" wined Pansy again as she deposited herself in his lap. "Aren't you going to say hi to me? After all I _am_ you girlfriend. And what were you doing with Weaselette earlier?"

            Pulling an appalled look, he said, "Hello Pansy. Let me make this clear. You never have, nor will you **_ever_ **be my girlfriend. Weasel has a better chance than you ever will. As for Weaselette I don't believe that's any of you business. Now sod off and get you fucking fat arse off of me," clarified Draco, giving her a hard shove and causing her to land roughly on her rump on the cold, hard, dungeon floor.

            "Draco Alexander Malfoy!" shrieked Pansy's high-pitched voice, "That hurt you prick! Is that any way to treat a lady!?"

            Laughing bitterly he replied, "You're the farthest thing form a lady I've ever seen. If you're anything it defiantly has to be the school slut. No, wait that's Millicent. You have to be the whore."

            "You can't speak to me like this! Wait until your father hears about this! You're going to be in so much trouble!"

            "Pansy, haven't you heard? Our fathers are no longer on good terms. You see, you father botched up a mission. Now Lucius no longer demands I be nice to you. Queen to C4. Checkmate. Now, if you would kindly go and bother somebody else, I'm going to go start my rounds, just to get away from you," barked Draco, storming out of the common room.

            The last thing her heard before making it out of the room was Blaise saying, "How'd he do that? I never saw that move."

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            Ginny and Hermione sat in a secluded section of the library where they were nearly surrounded on all sides by books, and the noise being made by the others in the library was being drowned out. After working in silence for nearly half and hour, Ginny let out a frustrated growl and threw down a quill declaring, "Why does Professor Sprout make homework so difficult? I swear I'll never get enough information for her five-foot essay on the properties of gillyweed. All there is to know is that it allows you to breath underwater. End discussion."

            Looking up from the potions book she was reading through for information on the properties of dragons blood in an invisibility potion she said, "Actually Ginny, there are more uses for it than that. I think Neville has a book with information on it, but I can't remember what it was called. Maybe you should ask him." Seeing Colin heading in their direction, she called out to him, "Colin! Colin come here!"

            "Hey Hermione, Ginny. What are you two working on? And where were you all afternoon Ginny?"

            Ginny sighed and turned back to her essay saying, "I'm working on that damn essay Sprout assigned us this morning. I don't see how she expects us to write five feet on the properties of gillyweed. And I wasn't feeling well earlier. That's why you didn't see me earlier."

            "Neville lent me a book earlier to help me with that. If you want, we can work on it now, together if you want. That is if you aren't too busy at the moment."

            "You're a life saver Colin. Hey, what time is it anyway? It feels like I've been here my whole life."

            Setting his things down and pulling out Neville's book, along with his herbology things, he replied, "It's ten after seven."

            Hermione's head shot up for a second time that night and she frighteningly questioned, "Ten after seven?"

            "Yeah, why? They didn't change curfew did they?" Colin asked curiously.

            Jumping up out of her chair, Hermione began frantically stuffing her potions work and books into her bag while muttering loudly to herself, "I'm late, I'm late!"

            "For a very important date?" supplied Colin, knowing full well that Hermione had yet to ever date, but feeling like adding a little humor to the situation; although he was only rewarded with a death glare from Hermione and a few giggles from Ginny for his hard work. Hermione threw her bag over her shoulder and bolted out of the library. "What did I say?" questioned Colin to Ginny.

            " 'A very important date'? Seriously Colin. Considering why she ran out of here and for where, I highly doubt that would EVER happen."

            "Well where did she go?" asked Colin, sitting in Hermione's vacated chair.

            "She's heading for the dungeons. She had detention with Snape today at 7:00 for helping Neville with his potion today," answered Ginny leaning back in her chair.

            "Snape? No wonder she glared at me. I would have glared at me too. Although I wish I could have seen Snape's reaction if he had heard me." 

            Debating on whether or not to tell him, Ginny decided to say, "Hermione made me promise not to tell Harry or Ron, but she never said anything about you. Apparently when Harry and Ron aren't around Snape is actually nice to her. Well, as nice as Snape can be anyway."

            "You're joking! Snape isn't even civil with the other professors except Dumbledore." Replied Colin, thoroughly shocked.

            "No, I'm serious. I was just as surprise as you."

            "Who would have thought? Snape fancies Hermione. Well maybe not fancy, but it does seem that he des have a soft spot for our 'know-it-all Gryffindor'."

            "Well, lets start on that herbology essay. I'd rather not discuss Snape's love life, even if it does concern Hermione."

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            "Good practice everyone!" Harry shouted across the quidditch pitch to the rest of the players. "Lets head in. Remember, the next practice is Saturday morning from five till nine. Be ready." Descending with the rest of the team, Harry waited for Ron, who was collecting the balls from factice. When he had them back in the case the two followed the rest of the team into the locker rooms and Harry left Ron to start changing while he took the balls back to Madame Hooch's office. Returning shortly Harry noticed Ron was lost in though and not paying attention to what he was doing. "Something bothering you Ron?"

            Snapping out of his thoughts Ron replied, "What makes you think that Harry?"

            "You putting your shirt on backwards and inside out. That's what makes me think that."

            "Oh, right," replied Ron, pulling his shirt back over his head and fixing it. "It's just… I don't know Harry. I guess I'm just worried about Ginny. Colin said he didn't see at all after she left the Great Hall. You're her boyfriend Harry. DO you have any idea what her problem is?"

            "I'm sure she's fine Ron. But I'll go find her and ask her alright?" replied Harry smoothly, pulling on his sneakers.

            "Yeah. Thanks Harry. I'm sure she'll tell you, as I think it was more than just her run in with ferret boy earlier. I wonder if he'd be a ferret as an animagus?" answered Ron.

            Laughing Harry replied, "He probably would be. I'll talk to you later Ron. I'm gonna go find Ginny," replied Harry, walking out of the locker room with Ron.

            "Yeah ok. I told Luna I would meet her in front of the Ravenclaw common room after our practice," replied Ron and they both split ways in the entrance hall. As Harry walked toward the common room, where he told himself Ginny was SUPPOSED to be, he couldn't help but think about what Ron just said to him. _'I cant let him figure out anymore than he already seems to know. But it's not Ron I'm worried about. It's Hermione.  I really can't believe she and Neville continued to take potions!' _Harry thought to himself.__

            Reaching the portrait of the fat lady Harry gave her the password, "Faerie dust."  And entered the common room. Upon looking for her amongst the other student he felt the rage boiling inside after ten minutes and he realized she wasn't where she was SUPPOSED to be. Spotting Marissa, one of Ginny's' friend and one of his conquests sitting with her boyfriend, he walked over to her and said, "Hey Marissa. Have you seen Ginny?"

            Smiling seductively up at him, she replied, "Yeah. About an hour and a half ago she left the common room. If you looking for her your best bet to find her would probably be to look in the library because she was with Granger when she left."

            "Thanks Marissa. I'll remember your help later." He replied, heading toward the fat ladies portrait.

            Understanding what he meant, she replied so he could hear her but not to make her boyfriend suspicious, replied, "Of course Harry. Anytime."

            Harry was seething as he headed toward the library. _'That little bitch, I told her to stay in the common room! She's gonna get it tonight. Especially after I herd the teals of her run in with Malfoy.'_ Walking into the library Harry headed toward the back of the library where he know Hermione usually studied, but when he got there he felt his rage boil over even more at the sight that lay before him. Colin was standing behind the chair Ginny was sitting on, his left arm sling over her and his right hand resting on the table while his head was down next to hers while talking to her. Not bothering to see what was really happening, Harry stormed out of the library and headed toward the owlry. Climbing the starts and finding Hedwig, Harry pulled out a spare piece of parchment and scribbled a note and tied it to Hedwig's leg saying, "Give this to Ginny when she goes into her dorm." After Hedwig flew off Harry headed back to the common room and to his dormitory, all the while thinking of ways he could _educate_ Ginny.

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            "Finally," declared Ginny, slamming shut her herbology book and throwing it in her bag. "You don't know how much I appreciate you help Colin. I probably would have ended up begging Hermione for the answer. I probably should see how her detention went. For that matter we both should be getting back. We have ten minutes before curfew and then the prefects and teachers will be making their rounds."

            "Don't worry about it Gin. You really should be thanking Neville. And you right. It is almost ten. Lets hurry back get back, then you can see how Hermione made out with lover boy." Seeing Ginny glare at him he added, "I'm sorry but it's hard to think of Snape being nice to anybody except the Slytherins." After reaching the common room they saw it was deserted, probably because of the quidditch match tomorrow (11:00 am). Saying their good nights Ginny headed up to her dormitory, finding Hermione sitting on her bed, her dorm mates getting ready for bed. 

            "Hey Hermione," said Ginny, walking over to where her bed was and sat down next to Hermione.

            "Hey Ginny. I want to talk to you but lets go to my dormitory. Lavender and Parvati are 'staying' somewhere else tonight, so you can stay with me if you want."

            "Sure." Ginny replied. Hearing taping on the glass of the window, Ginny looked over and say Hedwig with a note tied to her leg. "You go on ahead and I'll be there in a moment." Ginny told her, to which Hermione headed out the door. Taking the note and giving Hedwig a treat, Ginny sent her back to the owlry and grabbed what she would need to stay in Hermione's dorm, then headed there. Upon arriving she saw Hermione changed into her pajamas reading a book. Setting her stuff down on the bed she usually slept in, she grabbed her nightclothes and headed to the bathroom to change. After coming back out Ginny asked, "So how was you detention?"

            Forgetting what she was going to ask Hermione replied, "It went just fine. It shocked me when Professor Snape didn't say anything to me about being late. All he said was to get started on making a batch of de-swelling potion for Madam Pompfrey while he graded homework. I think I sort of enjoyed detention for once. Maybe I should get it more often. Anyway what did Harry want in that note and did you get your essay done or will I be telling you the answers?"

            "You know maybe Colin was right," responded Ginny and seeing Hermione's questioning gaze, quickly said, "It's nothing. Never mind. Now to answer you questions. One, I don't know I haven't read the note. Two, Yes I got the essay done. And three, no you don't need to give me the answers."

            "I see. Well read Harry's note; it may be important."

            "Alright, alright. Don't get you knickers in a twist Herm," replied Ginny, scanning the note. 

When Hermione saw Ginny pale, she immediately asked, "What is it Gin?"

"Harry wants me to meet him in the common room at 10:45, and judging by the note he's angry about something."

Standing up, Hermione walked over to Ginny and took her by the shoulders. "Look at me Ginny. I know you wont want me to go down there with you because I'm not exactly sure what your problem is with Harry anyway, but please, BE CAREFUL. I know all to well what Harry's temper is like. Do whatever you can to keep him from becoming irked, ok?"

"I will Hermione. I should head down now. Don't wait up for me."

"Ok. See you tomorrow Gin," Hermione responded, crawling into bed and putting the candles out after seeing Ginny nod and close the door. _'I hope she knows what she's doing.'_

Walking downstairs, Ginny sat inform of the fire for ten minutes before seeing, rather hearing Harry come down the starts. As she stood, she asked him, "What did you want to see me this late for?"

_~He's drunk again, it's time to fight~_

            Stomping over to where she was standing, Harry grabbed a hand full of her hair, pulling her toward him saying, "You little bitch don't you ever learn? Time and time again I warn you!" he hissed out throwing her hard toward the mantel of the fireplace, smiling inwardly when he heard her gasp in pain.

_~She must have done something wrong tonight~_

            "Harry stop! I didn't do anything. Please! Tell me what I did wrong!"

            "Oh I don't know Ginny. How about when I told you to stay in the common room?"  he said, roughly grabbing her by the shoulders. 

            "You never said that Harry." Ginny tired to reason with him.

            Shoving her against the wall roughly and hearing her head crack against the stonewall, he grabbed her by the hair again and hissed out, "You I did you fucking bitch. I know hat I say. What else have you done you want to know? How about grouping Malfoy in the middle of the hallway this afternoon huh?!"

_~The living room becomes a boxing ring~_

            Still trying to reason, Ginny said, "Malfoy threw himself a-" but was cut off by a scream of pain as Harry wrapped his fist tighter in her hair and threw her down roughly by the hair, rejoicing in the sound of her body hitting the floor.

            "Bullshit! You were groping him and you know it!"

_~Its time to run when you see him~_

_~Clenching his hands~_

            "And what about you and Colin in the library? How do you explain that?!"

            "He was helping me with my e-" but was cut off again with another yell of pain as Harry kicked her in the stomach, upon which she began to crawl backwards away from him, heading toward the portrait hole.

            "Like hell he was. All he was helping you with was getting a shag. You were all over each other, I saw it with my won eyes!" yelled Harry pulling Ginny back to her feet and he began to pummel her with his fists and after knocking her down again said, "You're starting to rival with Parkinson for the role of schools whore. You'll sleep with anything that has a dick."

            "Harry please stop! You don't know what your doing!" Ginny shouted, in attempt to make him stop.

            Ignoring her, he delivered a sharp kick to her spine and tailbone, and pulled her back up, this time pummeling her midsection until he herd the satisfying crunch of a few of her ribs breaking and shoved her back onto the floor, five feet from the portrait hole, savoring her cries of pain. "Don't worry about anybody finding out because I placed a silencing spell on the dorms."

_~She's just a woman~_

_~Never again~_

            Gathering what strength she had left, with tears streaming down her face, Ginny pushed the pain aside, quickly stood and stumbled out of the common room before Harry hid more damage then he already had and headed toward her safe haven as quickly as possible. The lake.

            Back in the common room Harry used his want to clean the blood off his hands. "Let the slut go. I have more important things to do," he muttered. As he walked out of the common room he said out loud to himself, "Time to go to the Astronomy tower and give Marissa her well earned reward," and pulled on his invisibility cloak as he rounded the corner.

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Hey guys. I felt I should wire and longer chapter and I did. BTW, the rest of the lyrics to Nickelback's "Never Again" will be in later chapters, as I'm using it for the basis of this story. The next chapter will be entirely D/G interaction for all you who like it. I know Harry's VERY OOC, but it's important to the story. If he weren't this story wouldn't exist. Also, school starts Monday, so the next chapter may be a while.


	4. Nighttime Meetings

Sorry for the wait, been extremely busy. I took SAT's last Saturday and they nearly killed me and now they want me to take another test (Something like PSAT or something don't remember what they called them) on the 21st. Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

*Special thanks to by beta readers for this chapter because if it weren't for their nitpicking this chapter would probably be so full of errors and lines that didn't make sense you wouldn't be able to read it!*

Disclaimer: See chapter 1, and the lyrics from this point on are "Never Again" and they belong to Nickelback, not me.

Life's Troubles

Chapter 4: Nighttime Meetings

            Draco made his way silently through the halls of Hogwarts, making a quick stop at the kitchens for a small snack. After the house-elves willingly complied, Draco made his way out to continue his patrol. One good thing about being Head Boy was that you're allowed out after hours, Draco mused. As he made his way up towards the Gryffindor common room he noted to himself that it was well past curfew and the students should be asleep. But as he approached the Fat Lady's portrait he heard screams of an argument coming from behind the portrait hole.

*I hear you scream from down the hall*

            Draco sped up and came to a stop behind a statue just in time to see a sobbing figure stumble backwards out of the portrait hole. The figure quickly scrambled to its feet and took off down the corridor leaving a very confused Draco behind. "Weasley?" he whispered to himself. 'Perfect. A chance to berate a Weasley and take points from Gryffindor.' With that thought Draco silently followed her through the hallways and into the entrance hall. Without hesitation he continued to follow her as she quickly made her way out of the castle. 'Where in the name of Merlin is she going!? It's nearly midnight!' Draco pondered as he followed her out into the cool, biting night air.

            'The lake?' Draco mused as he saw her stop in front of the lake and stare into it. He watched as she fell to her knees and broke down into hysterical sobbing. Draco had never needed to comfort a teenage girl in his life, and had no idea what to do. Just as he was about to approach the wailing girl she suddenly stopped crying and stood up. Draco watched as she determinedly sent a hard stare across the lake and walked to its edge. He watched silently as she removed her shoes and tread slowly into the water until she was waist deep. 'What the fuck is she doing?!' he frantically screamed to himself.

            Without warning Ginny took another step forward and plunged under the surface of the water.  Shocked, Draco just stared on with his mouth hanging open. After a minute and she still didn't come up he began to worry. "Where is she!?" he mused worriedly to himself. When she didn't come up after two minutes he said to himself, "Oh bloody hell!" and bolted from his placed behind a tree and dashed toward the lake and jumped in. The freezing water stabbed his skin and nerves like hot knives tearing sharply through his tender flesh. 

            Once his body adjusted to the ice-cold water Draco began to franticly search for her body. After coming up twice for air he was about to give up and get help, but when he went down again he spotted her body floating limply a few feet away from him. Draco swam over to her and grabbed her around the waist, and pulled her to the surface. Quickly he swam them to shore and pulled her limp body onto the wet bank. Immediately he checked for a pulse and found a weak one, but noticed she wasn't breathing, and immediately began C.P.R.

            Through this all Draco was frantically telling her that she needed to start breathing and this wouldn't be a repeat of his earlier childhood. Seconds later Ginny gasped for air and started coughing up water. Draco helped her sit up and rubbed her back comfortingly as she continued to gasp for breath.

*Amazing she can even talk at all*

            "What did you think you were doing Weasley!" Draco hissed at her.

            "Malfoy! What the hell are you doing here!? Get your filthy disgusting hands off me! Who knows where they've been."

            "Dammit Weasley I'm only trying to help!" he shouted in frustration.

            "I don't want any help from you or anybody else!"

            "Is this the respect and thanks you're going to show me?! For Merlin's sake I just saved your poor arse from drowning!"

            "Couldn't you tell that's what I wanted?!" Ginny shot back and almost instantly covered her mouth with her hands. Fear rose into her eyes at the realization that she had just divulged a morbid secret to one of her worst enemies.

*She cries to me… "go back to bed"*

            Shocked at the confession, Draco stuttered out, "You-you wanted too? **Why?!"**

            "It's nothing. Just forget I even said it. Go back to bed Draco. Don't worry about me," Ginny whispered afraid she'd lose her composure if she said anything more to him.

            "Ginny, please tell me what's wrong," Draco pleaded with her, not noticing his slipup.

            Ginny, however did notice it. "You-you called me Ginny," she replied shocked.

            Nervously shifting from one foot to the other, Draco replied, "Well that is you name…isn't it?"

            "Yes, I suppose it is… but I don't really like it. I'd prefer it if you called me Virginia. It is my actual name," Ginny very quietly replied, no more than a whisper, staring at her hands.

            Draco witnessed every emotion that crossed her face until they stopped on one closely resembling sadness, confusion, and hurt. Quickly, Draco fell out of his standing position and slid down next to her. "Ok. Virginia it is then… but quench my curiosity, why don't you like being called 'Ginny'?"

            Letting a small grin come onto her face she attempted to wittingly reply, "Curiosity killed the cat you know."

            Laughing slightly and extracting a lager smile from his companion he told her, "Well I'm no a cat so I'm not going to be dying from it to soon."

            A tense silence fell around them, neither knowing what to say. After a few minutes Ginny spoke up, "Harry."

            Draco's head shot up form staring at the ground when she made her brief statement. Immensely confused, he inquired, "What?"

            Softly, she answered, "Harry. He's why I don't like being called Ginny."

            "But…" Draco stuttered, "Potter's your boyfriend isn't he?"

            "Yes, to others, but in his actions and words…you don't know what it's like with him…" Ginny inaudibly said. She really didn't want Draco to hear the last part, but unfortunately he did and questioned her on the statement.

            "Virginia, what's going on with you and Potter? Is there something you're not telling me?"

            "Draco… I don't want to talk about it."

            Suspicious of her avoiding the subject he pushed on and asked the breading question, "Virginia, is he hurting you? Physically or mentally?" He stared at her as her expression became one of hurt and anguish and the unshed tears of the day filled her eyes. Suddenly he felt anger flood through him at her unspoken conformation. 'I'll murder that abusive bastard!' he thought to himself. "He is isn't he Virginia? I'm asking, no pleading for you to tell me. I need to know Virginia. Please."

            Without warning the tears in her spilled over and she was immediately pulled into the warm, comforting embrace of her blonde companion. Through her uncontrollable sobs she managed to say, "Yes. But you wouldn't understand. You've never known the pain like he inflicts upon me. I can't take the abuse anymore!" Ginny pulled back slightly and reached down to lift her shirt up.

            "Wh-what are you doing Virginia?" Draco stammered as she lifted her shirt. 

            Revealing her ribs that were already bruising and swelling Ginny told him, "Do you see what I go through with him? I just want it all to end."

*I'm terrified that she'll wind up dead in his hands*

            Draco's jaw dropped when he saw what she showed him. Promptly he stood and voiced his thoughts from earlier. "That fucking bastard. I'll murder him and slowy torture and then chop him up into little pieces and then feed them to Hagrid's newest creature!" He was only stopped from his pursuit of the boy-who-lived by Ginny grabbing his arm and pleading for him not to do anything.

            "Please Draco, don't do anything. You'll just make it worse if he finds out I told anybody," she went to put her hand on his shoulder but halfway there she sharply pulled her arm back and grabbed a hold of her bruised ribs, and sunk to the ground, a mask of sever pain on her face. Forgetting his anger, Draco immediately ordered her to lie down so he could look at her wounds.

            "Virginia you really should go see Madame Pomphrey," he muttered moving his hands over her wounds, lightening his menstruations when she screamed out in pain from her broken ribs. "Sorry," he muttered when he did.

            "No. She'd ask to many questions that I'm not ready to answer."

            Looking at her he said, "Then let me do it please." Ginny only nodded her head and lifted her shirt to below the swell of her breasts, so he could reach her ribs and abdominal section without a problem. When he finished he pulled her shirt back down, blushing slightly when his hand skimmed over her breast. After a few minutes of silence he asked, "Why do you stay with him, Gin?" She shrank back slightly at the other form of her name and didn't answer immediately. Realizing his slipup this time he immediately apologized, "Sorry Virginia. I'm just worried about you. I worry that he may do irreversible damage someday. Something you'll never get over and I don't want that for you. I don't want to see him kill you."

            "Thank you for worrying Draco, but I'm fine really. I'm a big girl I can take care of myself. I guess I stay with him because I don't believe I really have a choice in the matter. I don't know why…but…I feel as if I still love him even after what he has done to me you know. And because… um well, I suppose I'm scared of what he'll do if I break up with him."

            Nodding Draco replied, "Don't be scared of him Virginia. It will only fuel him further with any rage," Seeing her nod he smiled and said, "It's nearly 1:30. Even myself as Head Boy would be in trouble for being out of bed at this hour. Come, I'll walk you back to Gryffindor tower," Still smiling at her, he rose to his feet and extended an arm, which she grabbed and he lifter her to her feet. 

            Together they silently walked back to the entrance of the Gryffindor tower. Outside of the Fat Lady's portrait they stopped and faced each other. "Thank you Draco, for everything." Ginny thanked him and pulled him into a hug.

            She pulled away, and he looked at her before taking hold of her hands. "You're welcome Virginia. But listen to me. If you ever need somebody to talk to I'm here for you. The Head Boy's room is on the fourth floor behind the picture of Hazgreld the Great. The password is 'Slytherins honor'. You're welcome anytime ok?" When he saw her nod her head he added, "And remember, you always have a choice. Never forget that," Seeing her nod he squeezed her hands and waited until she had disappeared into the common room. He stood there for a while and when he heard no commotion coming from inside he turned and walked back to his quarters. Ginny was on his mind as he walked, swearing to always protect her.

*She's just a woman…Never again*

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See that little box in the lower left corner of your screen? Click the go button and leave me a review please. Make me a happy child. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.

*dama_de_tinieblas*


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